Wall controllers, for diverse devices and control of functions such as thermostats, hot water heaters, air-conditioning, ventilation, lighting, burglar alarms, electrochromic windows, intercoms, electric gates, etc., are available in many sizes, shapes and appearances. A typical wall controller or other controller, interface or user interface platform mounts to a wall, partition or other surface of a home, office, factory or other building, and communicates wirelessly or through wires (within or attached to a wall) to devices controlled by the wall controller. Functionality, features, design aesthetics and available space are factors in the design of a wall controller. A wall controller that mounts entirely to, and not within, a wall may appear bulky and utilitarian, and be limited in features by available size of the wall controller and wall space allocated to the wall controller. Controllers also have an impact on the design of a home. Devices hanging obtrusively on a wall pull attention away from architecture itself and towards the device. Subtlety of added elements in a high-end home environment is important for respect of the environment. Installation constraints imposed by wall spacing (e.g., inner wall space) and the desire to minimize the number and size of holes or other visible alterations made to or in the wall, and complexity of installation may serve as barriers to the ability to add further features to wall controllers. It is within this and further design contexts that the present embodiments arise.